3.5 out of 5 stars.

The book has an unusual structure. It's partly epistolary as it includes excerpts from the lovers' letters and Aimee's diary entries. There are also "sessions" with people in the book; with whom the author had interviewed. The book felt like a documentary though I don't mind the structure. The sessions provide insight of the war and of the relationship between Aimee and Jaguar from an outsider's view.

This is first and foremost, a love story during the time of war and oppression; during an ethnic cleansing. One of them is a Jew. Ok, so you know how that ends. The romance begins with mutual attraction and infatuation which then foster into a bond that is more intimate and precious between the two. The love between Aimee and Jaguar feel very relatable, which is something hard to come by for me. Though their declaration of love for each other are at times repetitive (via letters, poetry), I enjoyed them. I thought they were beautiful.

Feel your heart grow as they fall in love with each other, care for each other; then feel it shrink and ache when they were forcefully separated and when Lilly (Aimee) spiraled into depression and full-time longing and mourning for Felice (Jaguar).

Note: When Elisabeth Wust and Felice Schragenheim are together, they are Aimee & Jaguar. Otherwise they are Lilly and 'Lice/Fice, etc. I just thought it was a nice thing to notice. Love gives you a new identity and perhaps that was the identity that mattered most to Aimee and Jaguar.